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Education Secretary Michael Gove is attempting to use a campaign to fight school illiteracy "to distract from his failure to respond to warnings," on risks of extremism in Birmingham schools - Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary has said.

Hunt said that Gove was using today's announcement to distract from the Birmingham school issue. Credit: Yui Mok/PA

Tristram Hunt MP was referring to a report that two Birmingham schools run by the same educational trust were criticised by Ofsted, for apparently failing to protect pupils from the risks of extremism.

Education secretary Michael Gove has told the Policy Exchange Think Tank that he wants competitiveness within schools between pupils, using a "rank order system."

Gove wants schools to emulate those which use a "rank order" system. Credit: Labour Exchange/Pool

Telling the Policy Exchange, he believes that creating a rank order for students to follow - pupils will strive to improve.

Gove said the model is "to replace the harmful competitiveness of street culture, the contest over who is coolest, who's trainers are smartest, who's attitude is the hardest, who's backchat is the most fly - with the competitiveness of academic culture."

A baby sounding out words whilst following text on page with her finger. Credit: Press Association Images

Education Secretary Michael Gove is to set out plans that he hopes will end illiteracy within a generation.

Mr Gove will put forward a framework to "save lives which are currently wasted" by a lack of basic skills, The Times said.

His pledge will reportedly be put forward for inclusion in the next Conservative manifesto and is likely to be included in a first draft of ideas that will be submitted to David Cameron by Jo Johnson, the chairman of the Prime Minister's policy board.

The commitment would see plans to ensure that all children leave school with strong reading and maths skills.